Mosquito Proof Your HomeMosquito Proof Your Home
Mosquito proofing your home and property is one of the most effective ways to help reduce the mosquito population in your community. If they can't breed, they can't survive in great numbers. And the fewer mosquitoes there are, the lower the risk of getting bitten.
Some mosquito species are known to fly far from where they hatched, so not every mosquito you see in your backyard was bred nearby. However, there are certain species that are considered domestic because they like to breed around the home in small containers like birdbaths and eaves troughs.
Life Cycle of A Mosquito
While you may see them resting on shrubbery or in tall grass during the day, mosquitoes get their start in water. The female can lay 100 to 400 eggs directly on the water's surface and they are likely to hatch within 24 hours.
Once the eggs hatch they develop into larvae. Mosquito larvae look like little worms and they feed on small particles in the water and will dip down under the water from time to time to feed or escape capture. Over the next few days they develop into pupae with legs and wings.
During the pupae stage the mosquitoes are growing inside these little comma-shaped organisms that are also known as ·tumblers' because they look as if they do somersaults in the water when disturbed. In approximately two days, the growing mosquitoes will emerge through the pupal skin as adults.
When conditions are right, the entire cycle from egg to adult can be completed in less than 10 days. Some mosquitos like to feed from birds and other species like to feed from animals including people. The female mosquito is more problematic than the male. Aside from the fact that the female is responsible for laying eggs, a female mosquito can live for up to three weeks during the summer and will feed on blood more than once. When this happens, the female mosquito has the potential to transmit blood-borne diseases from one animal or person to another.
What Can You Do Around Your Home?
Always think mosquito prevention when working around your yard. Here are a few lawn and yard maintenance tips for when you're cleaning up mosquito friendly areas outside your home:
- Turn over compost frequently
- Fill in low depressions in lawn areas
- Clear out dense shrubbery where mosquitoes like to rest
- Spread the word by pointing out potential mosquito breeding areas to your neighbours.
Mosquitos love stagnant water so make sure to inspect your property for any amount of water, large or small, that could provide mosquitoes with a nesting ground. Make certain that flowerpots, buckets, containers of any sort are turned upside down. Health Canada suggests a variety of other things you can do to help prevent mosquitoes from breeding around your home:
- Empty tire swings of any water and, if possible, replace the swings with other types.
- Cover any garbage, recycling or composting containers, to prevent water from accumulating in them.
- Drill holes in the bottom of containers that must be left outdoors.
- Replace water in birdbaths and outdoor pet dishes at least every week to help eliminate stagnant water and also provide fresh water.
- Empty your rain barrels if the water is more than a week old.
- Ensure that all window, door and vent screens are in good repair without any openings that will allow mosquitoes access inside your home.
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Unclog your eaves trough downspouts so that your eaves troughs don't harbour stagnant water.
According to Health Canada you should be wary of products such as citronella candles, bug zappers (electrocutor traps), electronic "mosquito repellers" and certain plants that claim to ward off mosquitoes because they have not been supported by scientifically- based test results.
For more information about West Nile Virus please call the Ontario Ministry of Health INFOline 1.887.234.4343 (toll free in Ontario) TTY 1.800.387.5559 or contact your local public health unit.
Written by Webmaster
Wednesday, 09 June 2010 16:07
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